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The number of guaranteed seats for Māori representatives on New Zealand local authorities is set to be slashed by more than half, following a divisive law change that required local governments to submit the future of hard-won Māori seats to a public vote.

Historical Context on Māori Wards

Māori wards, which can include multiple elected officials based on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to provide Indigenous voters the option to vote for a guaranteed Māori representative in municipal and provincial governments. Initially, councils could only create a Māori ward by initially putting it to a community referendum in their region. Local populations often spent years building community backing and pushing their councils to establish Māori wards.

Legislative Shifts and Administrative Decisions

To address this concern, the former administration allowed local councils to set up a Indigenous seat without first requiring them to subject it to a public vote.

However, this year, the current administration reversed the change, stating local residents should decide whether to establish Indigenous representation.

Referendum Results

The coalition’s law change required local authorities that had created a electoral district under Labour’s rules to hold binding referendums concurrently with the municipal polls, which ended on 11 October. Of 42 councils taking part in the referendum, 17 voted to retain their seats, and twenty-five to disestablish theirs – revealing many regions opposed to reserved Indigenous seats.

The results provided “a vital step in reinstating community self-determination.”

Opposition parties however have criticised the government’s law change as “discriminatory” and “against Indigenous interests”. Since taking office, the coalition government has implemented extensive reversals to measures designed to enhance Indigenous welfare and political inclusion. The government has stated it aims to end “ethnic-specific” policies, and says it is committed to enhancing results for Indigenous people and all New Zealanders.

Urban-Rural Divide

The results of the public votes were divided down city-country divisions – most cities required to vote supported Indigenous seats, while countryside areas skewed heavily towards disestablishing them.

“It's unfortunate for the Indigenous seats that had recently been established – they’re just beginning to find their footing.”

Voter Turnout and Criticism

This year’s municipal polls recorded the lowest voter turnout in 36 years, with less than a third of eligible voters casting a vote, prompting calls for an overhaul.

This approach had been “a farce”.

Differential Standards

Councils are permitted to create other types of electoral districts – including countryside seats – without initially mandating a public vote. The disparate requirements applied to Māori wards indicated the administration was targeting Indigenous inclusion.

“Well, they failed. Numerous localities have expressed strong opposition.”

This remark concerned the 17 regions that chose to retain their wards.